Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport enters production

Last week Bugatti announced that the production of Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport will begin at Molsheim. This open-top supercar will be limited to just 150 units.

The first 50 units will go to existing registered Bugatti customers.

Compared to the hard-top model engineers have done modifications to the vehicle’s complex structure to enable open-top driving.

Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport is the world’s fastest and most exciting roadster. It has slightly higher windscreen, stylized daytime running lights, and lightweight, transparent polycarbonate roof.

Veyron’s monocoque structure has been reinforced around the side skirts and the transmission tunnel. The B-pillars have been cross-stiffened using a carbon fiber support, and a central carbon plate has been positioned beneath the transmission tunnel to ensure the vehicle suffers from less torsional flexing than any other roadster.

Power comes from the same 16-cylinder quad-turbo engine that develops 747kW (1,015hp) and 1,250Nm of peak torque.

With the roof closed it can reach 407 km/h (252 mph), if the roof is removed you can hit speeds of up to 360 km/h (223 mph).

There is also a soft top in case of sudden rain that is stored in the luggage compartment. With this umbrella like soft top it can go up to 130 km/h (80 mph).

Assembled by hand at the company’s headquarters in Molsheim, Alsace, the Grand Sport will be delivered from July 2009 onwards at a price of 1.4 million euros (2 million dollars) plus taxes and transportation.

According to Bugatti so far 30 units have been ordered. The chassis number one was auctioned at the Pebble Beach Auction by Gooding and Company last summer for 3.19 million dollars (2.25 million euros).